Douglas Melton

Dr. Douglas Melton is an accomplished electrical engineer, educator, and advocate for entrepreneurial mindset development in engineering education. He currently serves as the Program Director for the Kern Family Foundation, a position he has held since July 2012.2

Career Highlights

Academic Background::

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Wichita State University (1983-1987)
• Master's degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from The Ohio State University (1987-1989)
• Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1989-1993)2

Professional Experience::

• Program Director at Kern Family Foundation (2012-present)
• Professor at Kettering University (1995-2012)
• Director of R&D at Digisonix Inc. (1993-1995)2

Contributions at Kern Family Foundation

As Program Director, Dr. Melton has been instrumental in:

• Growing the Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN) to include 50 university partners2
• Establishing the Engineering Unleashed Faculty Development program
• Focusing on initiatives with long-term, systemic impact in engineering education2

Expertise and Interests

Dr. Melton specializes in:

• Adaptive signal processing
• Wireless communication systems
• Engineering educational innovations2

He is particularly passionate about developing an entrepreneurial mindset and strong character in engineering graduates, recognizing their critical role in the U.S. workforce and economy.2

Impact and Recognition

Under Dr. Melton's leadership, the KEEN program has grown significantly, now encompassing approximately 3,000 faculty members who instruct about 40,000 engineering undergraduate students across the nation.1 His work aims to foster a new generation of engineers equipped with both technical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.1